Eagles Must Beat Vikes Today For Themselves Injury May Keep Spagnola From Setting Record Pro Football

December 22, 1985|by COULT AUBREY, The Morning Call

As recently as three weeks ago the Philadelphia Eagles considered today, the final Sunday of the National Football League season, with importance and pleasure. They had a 6-6 record, they were thinking playoffs, Coach Marion Campbell was being mentioned as a candidate for coach-of-the-year in the National Football Conference and a winning season seemed a matter of routine.

They were feeling pretty good despite a 34-17 loss to Dallas in Texas Stadium. They honestly expected to win their final four games, but even if they didn't secure a playoff spot before Dec. 22, they would do so in their first visit to the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome. That they also considered a matter of routine. They felt they were better than the Vikings.

Then they went out and proved it Dec. 1 in Veterans Stadium . . . for more than three quarters. But for totally unfathomable reasons they allowed the Vikings to negotiate the greatest comeback in NFL history and eventually lost 28-23 after leading 23-0.

That was the beginning of the worst closing spiral in Philadelphia history, a corkscrew ride that eliminated the Eagles from both playoff participation and a winning record, cost Campbell his job, left his assistants facing a potentially unhappy and uncertain Christmas and turned today's 1 p.m. finale into a meaningless waste of time and money.

Then again, former Eagle Coach Dick Vermeil wouldn't agree with that assessment. He found meaning in every game, and in this particular instance he'd be right. There may be some significant individual happenings.

From an Eagle standpoint, let's hope so, since the most important concerns the health of Bethlehem's John Spagnola, who had to leave last week's game in San Diego late in the first half because of a sprained foot. With 64 receptions this season he is only three catches shy of breaking the record Pete Retzlaff set for tight ends in 1965.

Spagnola fell one reception short of Retzlaff's mark a year ago, and even was denied a place in the Pro Bowl although he had an excellent season and led all tight ends in catches. He missed out on the Pro Bowl again this season although he again is the No. 1 receiver among tight ends in the NFC, and will again be denied a shot at Retzlaff's record if he can't play against the Vikings. On Friday he was listed as doubtful.

Spagnola and Mike Quick, who will start in the Pro Bowl for the second time, already have broken a team record for receptions by two players. They have 132 going into today's finale, six more than they had a year ago. Their combined 1,954 yards is third high behind Tommy McDonald and Timmy Brown (1,995 in 1962) and Harold Carmichael and Charlie Smith (1,970 in 1973).

Rookie Herman Hunter already has broken Brown's record for kickoff-return yardage in a season with 989 and holds the club record for kickoff returns with 45. Earnest Jackson, who was acquired from San Diego for two future draft choices, needs only 78 yards rushing to join Wilbert Montgomery and Steve Van Buren as 1,000-yard rushers in a season.

From a historical standpoint, Minnesota placekicker Jan Stenerud, the oldest player in the NFL at 43, will call it a career after 19 seasons.

"When you get older, you're not going to he as good as you are at 25, and that's a fact," Stenerud said in announcing his retirement. "The odds of coming back and having great years just isn't there."

Stenerud holds the NFL record for field goals with 373, but is only 15 for 26 this season. He missed three attempts and an extra point in last week's 14-13 loss to Atlanta.

He started his career with Kansas City in 1967 and led the league in field goals in 1967, 1970 and 1975. A year ago, at the age of 42, he was remarkably successful with 20 conversions in only 23 attempts and was Minnesota's only representative in the Pro Bowl.

From another historical standpoint, win, lose of draw, Fred Bruney will go into the Eagles' record book owning the shortest tenure as head coach in 53 years. His reign will be one game, and that's one game less than Bo McMillin coached the Eagles in 1951.

Will Bruney, Chuck Clausen, Ken Iman, Ted Marchibroda, Tom Brasher, Tom Coughlin, Frank Gansz and Milt Jackson be around for Christmas? Only Braman knows, and winning or losing today may not matter. He may already have made his decision, just as he had with Campbell.

If they are released, the loss of Iman, Clausen and Bruney will be like cutting away a part of Eagles' history. Iman and Clausen came to Philadelphia in 1976, the same year Vermeil became head coach. Bruney and Campbell joined the Eagles in 1977, Bruney for the second time. He coached the secondary under Joe Kuharich from 1964-68.

"We're all professionals here," Bruney said. "We want to win this game for Marion."

Marion Campbell would rather have the Eagles win it for themselves. He knows they're better than their record.